Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 17:57 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 17:57
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
   1   2   3   
505-555 Level|   Business|   Short Passage|                        
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,443
Own Kudos:
69,787
 [3]
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,443
Kudos: 69,787
 [3]
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 30 Mar 2020, 10:55
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
rounakkedia172
In Q4, I dont get how E is better than D.
Experts please help.
Show more
rounakkedia172, take a look at this thread where we've broken the question down in some detail.

Let us know if that doesn't clear things up?
avatar
Skypee
avatar
Joined: 03 Jan 2018
Last visit: 27 Jan 2021
Posts: 2
Own Kudos:
6
Given Kudos: 13
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, International Business
GPA: 3.04
WE:Consulting (Computer Software)
Posts: 2
Kudos: 6
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 10 Jun 2020, 21:16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Easy passage
answers are
C---take jist of 2 para
E--Given in first para
B--Confusion might occur between B and E but (E is out of scope)
E-analogues to what the market exchange is (like change partners)
D--instead what the japanese are doing ..contrary to previous research

Give kudos if u dont have time to read long answers :)
avatar
Skypee
avatar
Joined: 03 Jan 2018
Last visit: 27 Jan 2021
Posts: 2
Own Kudos:
6
 [1]
Given Kudos: 13
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, International Business
GPA: 3.04
WE:Consulting (Computer Software)
Posts: 2
Kudos: 6
 [1]
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 10 Jun 2020, 21:36
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
fauji
Somebody Please help with Ques 1.
I chose E as answer thinking that passage discussed about supplier relationships in Japanese and Western manufacturers.
Didn't get it.
Please clarify.
Show more

first para: Kind of relationship to be propagated with supplied according to case study of japanese manufac.

second para: Another research which goes against the study mentioned in first para.

MP:So challenging the learnings of the first para. .therefore C

No where in the passage the author gives stress to differences b/w jap and west suppliers.

Look at the bigger picture :)
avatar
jaisonsunny77
avatar
Joined: 05 Jan 2019
Last visit: 25 Aug 2021
Posts: 459
Own Kudos:
381
 [3]
Given Kudos: 28
Posts: 459
Kudos: 381
 [3]
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 11 Jun 2020, 04:32
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
1) The passage is primarily concerned with

(A) examining economic factors that may have contributed to the success of certain Japanese companies - the passage is not concerned about the 'factors' that have contributed to the success of certain Japanese companies.
(B) discussing the relative merits of strategic partnerships as compared with those of market-exchange relationship - not implied or stated in the passage.
(C) challenging the validity of a widely held assumption about how Japanese firms operate - In paragraph one, it is assumed that all Japanese firms operate using Strategic partnerships. But the second passage is constructed to challenge this very assumption. Hence, (C) is the right answer choice.

(D) explaining why Western companies have been slow to adopt a particular practice favored by Japanese companies - the passage does not mention this.
(E) pointing out certain differences between Japanese and Western supplier relationships - the passage is only concerned with ''Strategic partnerships'', not any other ''differences''.

2) According to the passage, the advice referred to in the highlighted text was a response to which of the following?

(A) A recent decrease in the number of available suppliers within the United States automobile industry - the passage does not mention this.
(B) A debate within Western management circles during the past decade regarding the value of strategic partnerships - the ''value'' of strategic partnerships is not at all debated within western management circles. In fact, towards the end of the first paragraph, we have ''....has led to an unquestioning belief within Western management circles''
(C) The success of certain European automobile manufacturers that have adopted strategic partnerships - the passage does not cite the success of any European automobile manufacturer.
(D) An increase in demand over the past decade for automobiles made by Western manufacturers - we do not have any information in the passage that suggests this
(E) Research comparing Japanese business practices with those of other nations - in the second sentence of the first paragraph, we have "The experts' advice comes as a natural reaction to numerous studies conducted during the past decade that compared Japanese production and supply practices with those of the rest of the world." This is exactly what (E) mentions. Hence, (E) is the right answer to this question.


3) The author mentions "the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker" most probably in order to


Towards the middle of the first paragraph, we have ''The link between the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker and its effective management of its suppliers, for example, has led to an unquestioning belief within Western management circles in the value of strategic partnerships.''.

This is what (B) implies.

(B) cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice

hence, (B) is the right answer choice.

4) Which of the following is most clearly an example of the practice referred to in the last sentence of the passage?

In the last sentence of the passage, we have ''"market-exchange" relationships, in which either party can turn to the marketplace and shift to different business partners at will, a practice usually associated with Western manufacturers." (E) resonates with this thought most closely

(E) A corporation that changes the food-service supplier for its corporate headquarters several times over a five-year period as part of a cost-cutting campaign.

Hence, (E) is the right answer choice.

5) Which of the following is cited in the passage as evidence supporting the author's claim about what the new research referred to in line 20 demonstrates?

In the last paragraph of the passage, we have ''...widespread assumptions are unjustified. Not only..... but they (the Japanese firms) also make extensive use of "market-exchange" relationships, in which either party can turn to the marketplace and shift to different business partners at will,...''
This is what we have in (D)

(D) The prevalence of “market-exchange” relationships between Japanese firms and their suppliers

hence, (D) is the right answer choice.
avatar
tinny
avatar
Joined: 20 Apr 2020
Last visit: 06 May 2022
Posts: 1
Own Kudos:
2
 [1]
Given Kudos: 13
Posts: 1
Kudos: 2
 [1]
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 14 Aug 2020, 21:28
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can someone explain clearly how to reach to the answers for Q5 please?
User avatar
bM22
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 05 May 2016
Last visit: 17 Jul 2025
Posts: 716
Own Kudos:
784
 [1]
Given Kudos: 1,316
Location: India
Schools: IIM (A) IIM (A) IIM-A '24 (A) ISB '24 (A)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: IIM (A) IIM (A) IIM-A '24 (A) ISB '24 (A)
Posts: 716
Kudos: 784
 [1]
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 16 Aug 2020, 05:26
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
tinny
Can someone explain clearly how to reach to the answers for Q5 please?
Show more

Hi tinny,

5) Which of the following is cited in the passage as evidence supporting the author's claim about what the new research referred to in line 20 demonstrates?

(A) The belief within Western management circles regarding the extent to which Japanese firms rely on strategic partnerships
(B) The surprising number of European and United States businesses that have strategic partnerships with their suppliers
(C) The response of Western automobile manufacturers to the advice that they adopt strategic partnerships with their suppliers
(D) The prevalence of “market-exchange” relationships between Japanese firms and their suppliers
(E) The success of a particular Japanese automobile manufacturer that favors strategic partnerships with its suppliers


Explanation: Author's claim about what the new research referred to in line 20: " new research concerning supplier relationships in various industries demonstrates that the widespread assumption of Western managers and business consultants that Japanese firms manage their suppliers primarily through strategic partnerships is unjustified."
The evidence cited is :"they also make extensive use of "market-exchange" relationships, in which either party can turn to the marketplace and shift to different business partners at will, a practice usually associated with Western manufacturers.", here they refers to Japanese firms.

Research found that the assumption held about the Japanese firms and their suppliers is incorrect as the Japanese firms don't maintain strategic partnerships, instead they have market-exchange relationship. Author uses this justification as an evidence for his claim about the new research.

Hope This Helps.
Thanks.
User avatar
Gauriii
User avatar
Joined: 03 May 2020
Last visit: 21 Feb 2021
Posts: 50
Own Kudos:
25
Given Kudos: 69
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Sustainability
Posts: 50
Kudos: 25
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 26 Aug 2020, 20:29
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
6 Min in all and only the last one was wrong. Spent 4 mins reading just the passage, answers came out directly post that. sajjad Ahmad 's advice to go slow on the passage is really very helpful indeed! Many thanks for this great invaluable advice.
User avatar
CEdward
User avatar
Joined: 11 Aug 2020
Last visit: 14 Apr 2022
Posts: 1,203
Own Kudos:
272
 [2]
Given Kudos: 332
Posts: 1,203
Kudos: 272
 [2]
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 11 Jan 2021, 11:01
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the exhortations of business journalists and academics to move their companies toward long-term, collaborative "strategic partnerships" with their external business partners (e.g., suppliers). The experts' advice comes as a natural reaction to numerous studies conducted during the past decade that compared Japanese production and supply practices with those of the rest of the world. The link between the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker and its effective management of its suppliers, for example, has led to an unquestioning belief within Western management circles in the value of strategic partnerships. Indeed, in the automobile sector all three United States manufacturers and most of their European competitors have launched programs to reduce their total number of suppliers and move toward having strategic partnerships with a few.

However, new research concerning supplier relationships in various industries demonstrates that the widespread assumption of Western managers and business consultants that Japanese firms manage their suppliers primarily through strategic partnerships is unjustified. Not only do Japanese firms appear to conduct a far smaller proportion of their business through strategic partnerships than is commonly believed, but they also make extensive use of "market-exchange" relationships, in which either party can turn to the marketplace and shift to different business partners at will, a practice usually associated with Western manufacturers.

1) The passage is primarily concerned with

(A) examining economic factors that may have contributed to the success of certain Japanese companies X
Completely irrelevant and out-of-scope

(B) discussing the relative merits of strategic partnerships as compared with those of market-exchange relationship

This is a tempting trap choice, but the reality is the passage doesn’t do this at all. It’s much more descriptive in nature and just serves to give us a lay of the land about what is happening/not happening.

(C) challenging the validity of a widely held assumption about how Japanese firms operate

Correct. The widely held assumption by Western managers and consultants is that Japanese automakers operate by leveraging strategic partnerships well. The author counters that by saying in essence that automakers are a lot more promiscuous than what is believed (the companies make extensive use of “market-exchange” relationships).

(D) explaining why Western companies have been slow to adopt a particular practice favored by Japanese companies

We don’t have any specific details about the speed at which Western companies have adopted practices, but we do know its ongoing and widespread…either way, this is not the main point.

(E) pointing out certain differences between Japanese and Western supplier relationships

No, there was no mention of Western supplier relationships, and frankly we don’t know anything about the Japanese supplier relationships either, beyond the fact that studies have cited that the Japanese manage their relationships effectively, a position that the author argues against.

2) According to the passage, the advice referred to in the highlighted text was a response to which of the following?

(A) A recent decrease in the number of available suppliers within the United States automobile industry X
No mention of suppliers.
(B) A debate within Western management circles during the past decade regarding the value of strategic partnerships X
Tempting trap choice if you aren’t paying attention because it uses “Western management circles”, which was highlighted.
(C) The success of certain European automobile manufacturers that have adopted strategic partnerships X
No…we don’t know anything about the success of European manufacturers
(D) An increase in demand over the past decade for automobiles made by Western manufacturers
No mention of demand…
(E) Research comparing Japanese business practices with those of other nations
Correct. This is taken verbatim from the passage.

3) The author mentions "the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker" most probably in order to

(A) demonstrate some of the possible reasons for the success of a certain business practice

We don’t actually get any further details on why Japanese automakers are ‘effective’ in their management of stakeholder relationships.

(B) cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice

Correct.

(C) describe specific steps taken by Western automakers that have enabled them to compete more successfully in a global market

No such details provided.

(D) introduce a paradox about the effect of a certain business practice in Japan

No such paradoxes were highlighted…

(E) indicate the need for Western managers to change their relationships with their external business partners

This is a tempting choice and between B and E…it’s hard to say which one is correct because they are both valid. But, I think the point to be made here is that the success of the automaker ‘led to the unquestioning belief’ about the value of partnerships. What the managers decided to do afterwards on their own volition was up to them, but the studies were there to bring the ideas to the fore.

4) Which of the following is most clearly an example of the practice referred to in the last sentence of the passage?

(A) A department store chain that employs a single buyer to procure all the small appliances to be sold in its stores X

No…this fails to capture market-exchange relationships.

(B) An automobile manufacturer that has used the same supplier of a particular axle component for several years in a row X

This is the opposite of market-exchange relationships – being loyal to a single partner for a protracted period of time.

(C) A hospital that contracts only with union personnel to staff its nonmedical positions X

No…this fails to capture market-exchange relationships.

(D) A municipal government that decides to cancel its contract with a waste disposal company and instead hire its own staff to perform that function X

No…this fails to capture market-exchange relationships.

(E) A corporation that changes the food-service supplier for its corporate headquarters several times over a five-year period as part of a cost-cutting campaign.

Correct. This captures the essence of what it means to engage in ‘market-exchange’ relationships: switching business partners at will in accordance with what’s considered ideal on the market.

5) Which of the following is cited in the passage as evidence supporting the author's claim about what the new research referred to in line 20 demonstrates?

(A) The belief within Western management circles regarding the extent to which Japanese firms rely on strategic partnerships X

This is the argument provided by the previous studies.

(B) The surprising number of European and United States businesses that have strategic partnerships with their suppliers

No…to be clear we don’t know anything about the number of European and US businesses that have strategic partnerships with their supplies. Nonetheless, this is evidence in support of the view the the author is writing against.

(C) The response of Western automobile manufacturers to the advice that they adopt strategic partnerships with their suppliers

No…wrong study.

(D) The prevalence of “market-exchange” relationships between Japanese firms and their suppliers

Correct. This is the main argument against the prevailing view that strategic partnerships that are limited to only a few partners are prevalent.

(E) The success of a particular Japanese automobile manufacturer that favors strategic partnerships with its suppliers

No. Wrong study.
avatar
pk6969
avatar
Joined: 25 May 2020
Last visit: 02 Jan 2022
Posts: 136
Own Kudos:
14
Given Kudos: 70
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, General Management
Schools: Babson CBS '23 Broad
GPA: 3.2
Schools: Babson CBS '23 Broad
Posts: 136
Kudos: 14
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 12 Jan 2021, 04:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can anyone explain why D is preferred over A in Question 5?
User avatar
Sajjad1994
User avatar
GRE Forum Moderator
Joined: 02 Nov 2016
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 17,304
Own Kudos:
49,313
Given Kudos: 6,180
GPA: 3.62
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Posts: 17,304
Kudos: 49,313
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 12 Jan 2021, 05:14
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
pk6969
Can anyone explain why D is preferred over A in Question 5?
Show more

https://gmatclub.com/forum/in-recent-ye ... l#p2180991

https://gmatclub.com/forum/in-recent-ye ... l#p2541928

https://gmatclub.com/forum/in-recent-ye ... l#p2590515

Please read the posts in the links above, all have discussed question #5.

Thank you
User avatar
zoezhuyan
User avatar
Joined: 17 Sep 2016
Last visit: 11 Nov 2024
Posts: 418
Own Kudos:
94
Given Kudos: 147
Posts: 418
Kudos: 94
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 15 Aug 2021, 02:17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Quote:
RC00458-03
3) The author mentions "the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker" most probably in order to

(A) demonstrate some of the possible reasons for the success of a certain business practice
(B) cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice
(C) describe specific steps taken by Western automakers that have enabled them to compete more successfully in a global market
(D) introduce a paradox about the effect of a certain business practice in Japan
(E) indicate the need for Western managers to change their relationships with their external business partners
Show more

dear AndrewN, GMATNinja,
GMATNinjaTwo,

I am struggling with B and E, both seem valid for me. I have no solid idea how to distinguish them, would you please clarify further?

thanks in advance
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,443
Own Kudos:
69,787
 [1]
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,443
Kudos: 69,787
 [1]
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 28 Aug 2021, 12:58
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post

Question 3


zoezhuyan
Quote:
RC00458-03
3) The author mentions "the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker" most probably in order to

(A) demonstrate some of the possible reasons for the success of a certain business practice
(B) cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice
(C) describe specific steps taken by Western automakers that have enabled them to compete more successfully in a global market
(D) introduce a paradox about the effect of a certain business practice in Japan
(E) indicate the need for Western managers to change their relationships with their external business partners

dear AndrewN, GMATNinja,
GMATNinjaTwo,

I am struggling with B and E, both seem valid for me. I have no solid idea how to distinguish them, would you please clarify further?

thanks in advance
Show more
Let's start with the purpose of the first paragraph:
  • To describe the recent trend of Western business managers moving towards "strategic partnerships"
  • To explain why experts have advised this move

Now let's take a look at answer choice (B):
Quote:
(B) cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice
Show more
The passage states that the experts' advice about moving to strategic partnerships was a "natural reaction" to some studies of Japanese businesses. Then it cites the example of a "certain well-known Japanese automaker" as an example of one of these studies. So the Japanese automaker is cited to explain why Western business experts believed in "strategic partnerships." This fits well with answer choice (B).

Now let's consider answer choice (E):

Quote:
(E) indicate the need for Western managers to change their relationships with their external business partners
Show more
The purpose of this piece of the paragraph is to explain why experts believe in strategic partnerships. But that doesn't mean the author of the passage supports strategic partnerships.

Notice that answer choice (E) suggests that the author believes that managers should "change their relationships with their external business partners." But this isn't the case -- it's the experts who believe this. So (E) is out and we're left with (B). As is often the case, understanding the purpose of the paragraph as a whole is essential to understanding the purpose of specific lines.

I hope that helps!
avatar
madhuresh819
avatar
Joined: 24 Jan 2021
Last visit: 23 Mar 2022
Posts: 1
Given Kudos: 10
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 02 Oct 2021, 17:08
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can someone explain Q2. I was down to B & E ? OA-E GMATNinja Sajjad1994

RC00458-02
2) According to the passage, the advice referred to in the highlighted text was a response to which of the following?

(A) A recent decrease in the number of available suppliers within the United States automobile industry
(B) A debate within Western management circles during the past decade regarding the value of strategic partnerships
(C) The success of certain European automobile manufacturers that have adopted strategic partnerships
(D) An increase in demand over the past decade for automobiles made by Western manufacturers
(E) Research comparing Japanese business practices with those of other nations
User avatar
Sajjad1994
User avatar
GRE Forum Moderator
Joined: 02 Nov 2016
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 17,304
Own Kudos:
49,313
Given Kudos: 6,180
GPA: 3.62
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Posts: 17,304
Kudos: 49,313
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 03 Oct 2021, 00:03
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Official Explanation

2) According to the passage, the advice referred to in the highlighted text was a response to which of the following?

Difficulty Level: 600

Supporting idea

This question is concerned with identifying what the passage says about certain experts' advice. The passage indicates that the experts' advice is based on numerous studies carried out over the previous decade that compared Japanese manufacturing and supply practices with those of the rest of the world.

A. The passage indicates that the major automobile manufacturers in the United States have decreased the number of suppliers they deal with, but the experts' advice was not in response to such a decrease; rather, the decrease was in response to the manufacturer's adoption of the experts' advice.

B. The passage does not say anything about a debate within Western management circles regarding management partnerships.

C. The passage mentions that European manufacturers have adopted strategic partnerships, but it does not indicate how successful those manufacturers have been.

D. The passage does not indicate whether demand for automobiles has increased over the past decade.

E. Correct. The passage indicates that the experts' advice was made in reaction to studies that compared Japanese business practices regarding production and suppliers with those of other companies.

The correct answer is E.

madhuresh819
Can someone explain Q2. I was down to B & E ? OA-E GMATNinja Sajjad1994

RC00458-02
2) According to the passage, the advice referred to in the highlighted text was a response to which of the following?

(A) A recent decrease in the number of available suppliers within the United States automobile industry
(B) A debate within Western management circles during the past decade regarding the value of strategic partnerships
(C) The success of certain European automobile manufacturers that have adopted strategic partnerships
(D) An increase in demand over the past decade for automobiles made by Western manufacturers
(E) Research comparing Japanese business practices with those of other nations
Show more
User avatar
woohoo921
User avatar
Joined: 04 Jun 2020
Last visit: 17 Mar 2023
Posts: 516
Own Kudos:
142
Given Kudos: 623
Posts: 516
Kudos: 142
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 11 Oct 2021, 17:19
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Lucky2783
GMAT® Official Guide 2019

Practice Question
Question No.:
Online test bank question number : RC00458-01 ~ RC00458-05
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the exhortations of business journalists and academics to move their companies toward long-term, collaborative "strategic partnerships" with their external business partners (e.g., suppliers). The experts' advice comes as a natural reaction to numerous studies conducted during the past decade that compared Japanese production and supply practices with those of the rest of the world. The link between the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker and its effective management of its suppliers, for example, has led to an unquestioning belief within Western management circles in the value of strategic partnerships. Indeed, in the automobile sector all three United States manufacturers and most of their European competitors have launched programs to reduce their total number of suppliers and move toward having strategic partnerships with a few.

However, new research concerning supplier relationships in various industries demonstrates that the widespread assumption of Western managers and business consultants that Japanese firms manage their suppliers primarily through strategic partnerships is unjustified. Not only do Japanese firms appear to conduct a far smaller proportion of their business through strategic partnerships than is commonly believed, but they also make extensive use of "market-exchange" relationships, in which either party can turn to the marketplace and shift to different business partners at will, a practice usually associated with Western manufacturers.

Show Spoiler
C
RC00458-01
1) The passage is primarily concerned with

(A) examining economic factors that may have contributed to the success of certain Japanese companies
(B) discussing the relative merits of strategic partnerships as compared with those of market-exchange relationship
(C) challenging the validity of a widely held assumption about how Japanese firms operate
(D) explaining why Western companies have been slow to adopt a particular practice favored by Japanese companies
(E) pointing out certain differences between Japanese and Western supplier relationships


Show Spoiler
E
RC00458-02
2) According to the passage, the advice referred to in the highlighted text was a response to which of the following?

(A) A recent decrease in the number of available suppliers within the United States automobile industry
(B) A debate within Western management circles during the past decade regarding the value of strategic partnerships
(C) The success of certain European automobile manufacturers that have adopted strategic partnerships
(D) An increase in demand over the past decade for automobiles made by Western manufacturers
(E) Research comparing Japanese business practices with those of other nations


Show Spoiler
B
RC00458-03
3) The author mentions "the success of a certain well-known Japanese automaker" most probably in order to

(A) demonstrate some of the possible reasons for the success of a certain business practice
(B) cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice
(C) describe specific steps taken by Western automakers that have enabled them to compete more successfully in a global market
(D) introduce a paradox about the effect of a certain business practice in Japan
(E) indicate the need for Western managers to change their relationships with their external business partners


Show Spoiler
E
4) Which of the following is most clearly an example of the practice referred to in the last sentence of the passage?

(A) A department store chain that employs a single buyer to procure all the small appliances to be sold in its stores
(B) An automobile manufacturer that has used the same supplier of a particular axle component for several years in a row
(C) A hospital that contracts only with union personnel to staff its nonmedical positions
(D) A municipal government that decides to cancel its contract with a waste disposal company and instead hire its own staff to perform that function
(E) A corporation that changes the food-service supplier for its corporate headquarters several times over a five-year period as part of a cost-cutting campaign.


Show Spoiler
D
RC00458-05
5) Which of the following is cited in the passage as evidence supporting the author's claim about what the new research referred to in line 20 demonstrates?

(A) The belief within Western management circles regarding the extent to which Japanese firms rely on strategic partnerships
(B) The surprising number of European and United States businesses that have strategic partnerships with their suppliers
(C) The response of Western automobile manufacturers to the advice that they adopt strategic partnerships with their suppliers
(D) The prevalence of “market-exchange” relationships between Japanese firms and their suppliers
(E) The success of a particular Japanese automobile manufacturer that favors strategic partnerships with its suppliers

Show more

GMATNinja

For question 482 (the first one), I want to make sure I am understanding the passage after reading the explanation as to why Choice D is wrong in the official guide.

The official guide says that the passage does not indicate that Western companies have been slow to adopt any practice favored by the Japanese. However, if there was an inference question pertaining to whether Western companies were slow to adopt any practice... I would say yes. This is because the first paragraph mentions that there have been numerous studies conducted during the past decade, and Western business managers still needed "exhortations" from business journalists. Therefore, it took time for Western companies to adopt this practice. Do you see where I am going with this, or is this a really far stretch for an inference based on the text?

Many thanks in advance :)
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,443
Own Kudos:
69,787
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,443
Kudos: 69,787
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 18 Oct 2021, 10:25
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
madhuresh819
Can someone explain Q2. I was down to B & E ? OA-E GMATNinja Sajjad1994

RC00458-02
2) According to the passage, the advice referred to in the highlighted text was a response to which of the following?

(A) A recent decrease in the number of available suppliers within the United States automobile industry
(B) A debate within Western management circles during the past decade regarding the value of strategic partnerships
(C) The success of certain European automobile manufacturers that have adopted strategic partnerships
(D) An increase in demand over the past decade for automobiles made by Western manufacturers
(E) Research comparing Japanese business practices with those of other nations
Show more
The passage states that the advice "comes as a natural reaction to numerous studies conducted during the past decade that compared Japanese production and supply practices with those of the rest of the world." So, the advice was based on these studies. Or, as answer choice (E) says, the advice was a "response" to these studies.

Regarding answer choice (B): notice that the passage describes "an unquestioning belief within Western management circles in the value of strategic partnerships." In other words, Western management circles currently believe in the value of strategic partnerships.

Was there a "debate" about the value of strategic partnerships "during the past decade," as answer choice (B) suggests? Since the passage never addresses this question directly, we simply don't know. So the advice might not be a response to a "debate," since we don't know if this debate even happened. All we know is that the advice was based on studies about Japanese production and supply practices. So, (B) is out.

I hope that helps!
User avatar
samarth1222
User avatar
Joined: 30 Dec 2021
Last visit: 31 Dec 2024
Posts: 49
Own Kudos:
10
Given Kudos: 71
Posts: 49
Kudos: 10
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 29 Aug 2022, 03:15
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi,
I have a doubt in Question no 3 I Rejected option b because B it is saying that "cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice" But in the passage, nothing is given about the specific example it is said that general practice is followed among Japanese business man and that is what it is written in option A. Can someone please explain where am I going wrong?
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 7,443
Own Kudos:
69,787
Given Kudos: 2,060
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,443
Kudos: 69,787
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 22 Sep 2022, 08:03
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post

Question 3


samarth1222
Hi,
I have a doubt in Question no 3 I Rejected option b because B it is saying that "cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice" But in the passage, nothing is given about the specific example it is said that general practice is followed among Japanese business man and that is what it is written in option A. Can someone please explain where am I going wrong?
Show more
Let's start with the purpose of the first paragraph (borrowed from our post above):

  • To describe the recent trend of Western business managers moving towards "strategic partnerships"
  • To explain why experts have advised this move

Now let's take a look at answer choice (B):
Quote:
(B) cite a specific case that has convinced Western business experts of the value of a certain business practice
Show more

The passage states that the experts' advice about moving to strategic partnerships was a "natural reaction" to some studies of Japanese businesses. Then it cites the example of a "certain well-known Japanese automaker" as an example of one of these studies. So the Japanese automaker is cited to explain why Western business experts believed in "strategic partnerships." This fits well with answer choice (B).

Now let's consider answer choice (A):
Quote:
(A) demonstrate some of the possible reasons for the success of a certain business practice
Show more
The author does state that this particular automaker is "successful" in using strategic partnerships, but he/she doesn't really demonstrate the reasons why this business practice leads to success.

Additionally, the question asks us about the author's purpose in including this detail. As described above, the purpose of the first paragraph is to explain why Western experts are so enamored with strategic partnerships. This purpose is much better captured in (B) than in (A).

I hope that helps!
User avatar
Geedarko
User avatar
Joined: 19 Sep 2022
Last visit: 01 Mar 2023
Posts: 2
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 2
Kudos: 0
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 26 Oct 2022, 22:45
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
It can't be A because, in the last paragraph, the author spoke about a new research that showed that the original belief of the Western management circle of what the Japanese practiced was not justified also stating that they use an alternative system, "the Market Exchange system"; the evidence that supports the authors claim of the NEW research is D.
avatar
DeepanshuGupta
avatar
Joined: 10 Jul 2022
Last visit: 01 Apr 2023
Posts: 20
Own Kudos:
1
Given Kudos: 7
Posts: 20
Kudos: 1
In recent years, Western business managers have been heeding the 21 Dec 2022, 04:51
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can anybody tell me why the tone of this passage is negative? I am unable to find any such thing as negative in this passage. The passage is purely neutral in tone.
   1   2   3   
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7443 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
231 posts
Sajjad1994
GRE Forum Moderator
17304 posts
miag
189 posts